Ground anchors are tools frequently used to station movable objects. These anchors can be natural, temporary or permanent devices. In each case, the object is to utilize the anchor to fix the position of an otherwise movable article or structure.
The configurations of ground anchors vary greatly depending on the purpose and intended duration of the anchoring needed. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,369 issued to Kinsley, et al., a ground anchor for securing aircraft arresting gear is disclosed. This invention is designed to allow multiple pickets or stakes to be driven into the ground one at a time and up to an unlimited number. The parts of the device are separable, with each stake being secured to the next stake by a stake tie which is a rigid bar. This invention may provide a high degree of stability, but it is unfortunately very time consuming to assemble given that each stake is individually placed, driven and secured into the ground by a series of steps and adjustment of independent parts.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,198 issued to Meyer discloses an anchoring system with separate stakes independently driven into the ground. This invention is designed for securing motor vehicles. It employs a slide hammer for driving the stake portion of the invention into the ground, having a shaft slid over the slide hammer for holding a cable which interconnects and provides anchoring tension between a second slide hammer. This invention likewise requires separate parts independently positioned and tensioned.
The same is true for U.S. Pat. No. 729,591 issued to Jacob, an anchoring system for bridges, which teaches a combination of suspension cables, horizontally disposed timbers, brace rods connecting the timbers with the cables and piles driven in front of the timbers. This invention likewise requires multiple steps and separate treatment for the separate parts which must be placed, driven and tensioned separately to achieve the desired anchoring effect.
Other prior art focuses on relatively unitary designs. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,349,476 issued to Solberg, for example, a ground anchor is disclosed having sharp claw-like prongs at its two ends for clutching the ground for anchoring effect. U.S. Pat. No. 1,676,197 issued to Marrinan utilizes a staple-like configuration having a movable prong attached to the staple-like portion, which prong is actuated to assist in anchoring when anchoring tension is applied. Another configuration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,156,021 issued to Little in which a tent peg is claimed comprised of a helical lower anchoring portion with an eye formed at its midsection and a loop formed at its upper section. A hook having a ground prong engages the eye of the peg and provides additional anchoring effect. U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,756 to Cooper, et al. teaches a ground anchor for securing mobile homes having a planar portion and a U-shaped member interlocking with the planar portion.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,831,798 issued to Otteson and 1,550,276 issued to Nilson disclose still different configurations of ground anchors. However, the above references lack a combination of unitary yet multiple stake ground anchor which is easy to position and yet stable enough to provide a high degree of anchoring effect for weighty objects.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to improve upon the prior art of ground anchors by providing an anchorage and fastener device comprised of a single pre-assembled unit having multiple pickets.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable ground anchor which is lightweight yet durable and easy to install by utilizing a single unit configuration.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ground anchor having tubular hollow pickets which allow for ready picket placement by allowing ground otherwise displaced to be forced up into the pickets.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary or one piece ground anchor with a guyline security feature.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary piece ground anchor having fastener and security features removably attached to the device to maximize its flexibility, portability and ease of use.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary piece ground anchor having its picket angle predetermined and integrally fixed to speed placement and enhance anchoring effect of the device.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description of the preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.